Electric-switch casing.



c. 1. KLEIN. ELECTRIC SWITCH CASING. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3,I913JRENEWED JUNE 25.1911- 1,254:,812. Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

CHARLES J. KLEIN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCO MFG. (.70., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSNSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER IN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH casino.

Application filed December 8, 1913, Serial No. 805,291.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KLEIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of \Visconsiu, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Electric Switch (-asings, of which the following is afull,

clear, concise, and exact description, reference being bad to theaccompanying draw ing, forming a part of this'specification.

This invention relates to casings for switches and the like, and moreparticularly to improved means'for securing covers to surface switchbases.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved means'forfastening a resilient cover upon a switch base. Further objects will be.pointed out hereinafter;

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood I haveillustrated .two embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawing. It isto be understood, however, that various additional modifications arepossible without departing'from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claimsf In the. drawing, Figure 1 is a side. view of aswitch base with a cover mountedthereon, the'parts bein )artiallv brokenawav to show one set of the latching means.

Fig. 2 is a. side-perspective at an angle to Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a top view partially broken away to show the relativearrangement of the. latching means.

Figs; 4. 5 and 6 are similar views of a modified form of 'latchingmeans.

A base 1, of porcelain or other suitable material, has a switchmechanism mounted thereon with a reciprocative push bar 2 extendingacross the same. A resilient cover incloses the switch 3 of conventionaldesign upon an annular mechanism and rests shoulder 4 of the base.

The base is provided on opposite sides with bolts 5 having angular heads6. The

- shanks of these bolts are threaded to receive egtgnding radiall tefl'at surface 0 the base and rest upon an nuts 7 countersunk in theunder face of the base. The heads f the-bolts form lugs outwardly andparallel to annular wall 8 of the lat r. On op' osite sides .of thecover 3 are 'arginal sots 9 adapted ,to fit over the reciprocating pushSpecification of Letters Patent.

="pression of the sides of the Patented Jan. 29, 1918. llenewed June 25,1917. Serial No. 178,925.

bar 2 of the switchfmechanisn'i.. Small cir cular openings 10 are alsoprovided in the cover on opposite sides-spaced from its margin and fromthe slots 9 to register with the. bolts 5 in the base. Marginal notches11 so are cut in opposite sides of the cover in vertical alinement withthe openings 10 to facilitate the attachment of the cover to the base.

The cover is mounted upon the base by 5 direct attachment when the slots9 register with the push bar 2 and the marginal notches 11 rest upon theInga 5. Further straight pressure upon. the cover forces the sidewallsof the latter to yield outwardly So that the metal above themarginalnotches 11 slips over the beveled ends of the bolt 1- heads 6until the lower edges of the openings pass the. tips of the bolts andthe cover shops to its normal circular shape with the lugs 5 fittingwithin the openings 10. The cover is thus locked against separation andrelative rotation. Removal of the same is readily obtained. however. byradial comeover at right 8!] angles to the openings 10. Such compressioncauses the side walls of the cover toes sumo an elliptical shape wherebythe walls about the openings 10 are expanded and released fromengagement with the lugs 5. at The rim of the cover intermediatetheopenings 10 is spaced from the annular wall 8 of the base so that thesame is free to move inwardly under the radial compression described.

In the embodiment of the device shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the base is povided on opposite sides with bolts 12 having circular beveled heads 18.The cover designed for use with this base has segmental openings 14 onopposite sides correspondingly located to the bolts 12. These openingsare slightly spaced from the cover margin. and have their straightsides, parallel to and toward the edge. luide notches 15 are also cutinto the edge of the cover directly below the openings 14.. The mannerof attachment and release of the cover and base is similar to thatalready described. Tn the two forms of the'device i lustrated theunyielding lugs are fixed on the base and concealed by the resilientcover when the latter is in place.

What I claim as new and desire to second by Letters Patent is:

1. In a surface switch of the character de- .ter and means fordetachably lockin said cover 'to v aid base independently 0 said switchoperating lever. said means comprising oppositely disposed recessesinthe walls of said cover and correspondingly located rigid lugs securedto said base and fitting into said recesses when said cover ispositioned on said base, said cover intermcdi- 'ate said recesses havingradial play with respect to said base \\'hercb the same is compressibleat points removed from said re'- t'csscs to release it from said lugs. I

In a device of the character described, in combination. a surface havinga switch thereon. a cover to be mounted on said surface and toinclosesaid switch, and latching means for said surtace and cover comprising aplurality of beveled lugs on one and a plurality of correspondinglylocated shoulders on the other, said cover intcrn'lediate said latchingmeans having radial play with respect to said surface, whereby the sameis compressible at; such points to release said latching means.

3. In a device of the character described, in C(Jlllllllltlllt), acircular switch base having oppositely disposed rigid lugs pr0trudingtherefrom and a resilient cover to be mounted on said base and encirclesaid lugs,

the extremities of said lugs being bent out wardly at substantiallyright angles to form hooks, said cover having oppositely disposedmarginal slots adapted to reccive the reciprocating push bar of aninclosed switch mechanism and also having oppositely disposed openingsspaeed from its margin and from said slots, the extremitiesof said In sbeing adapted to coact with the sides of said openings to lock said baseand cover together, said cover intcrn'iediate said openings being freeto move inwardly over said base whereby the sides of said openings maybe withdrawn from engagement with said lugs to release. said cover.

-l. In a device of the character d'escr ibed, in combination, a circularbase having an annular shoulder, a switch mechanism on said base, havinga reciprocating operating member, a resilient cover to inc-lose saidswitch mechanism and abut said annular shoulder of said base, andlatching means to releasably lock said cover to said base, said meanscomprising oppositely disposed beveled shoulders on said base andcorrespondingly located recesses in said cover, the sides of said coverintermediate said recesses ha ving radial play with respect to said basewhereby said cover may be compressed at points removed from saidrecesses to releaso the sides of the latter from said shoulders.

5. in a device of the character described, in combination, a circularbase having an annular shoulder, a switch mechanism on said base, havinga reciprocating operating member, a resilient cover to inclose saidswitch mechanism and abut said annular shoulder on said base andlatching meansto releasably lock said cover to said base, said meanscomprising a plurality of rigid bcveled shoulders on said base andcorrespondingly located recesses in said cover, the edge of said coverin line with said recesses being notched to facilitate attachment ofsaid cover to said base.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the' presenceof two witnesses. CHARLES J. KLEIN.

W itnesses:

L. A. WATSON, F. H. HUBBARD.

